Chair of Neurosurgery

The University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine seeks a dynamic leader to serve as Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery in the UNM School of Medicine (SOM) at UNM Health & Health Sciences.  The chair provides strategic leadership and direction for all aspects of the Department of Neurosurgery’s involvement in the University as well as in the state and region.  The individual we seek must be qualified for appointment at the Associate or Professor level at the School of Medicine.
The Chair of Neurosurgery plays a major leadership role in all Health Sciences mission areas.  It is expected that the successful candidate will have a record of collaborative leadership as further detailed below.  The chair will lead the department on behalf of the Dean of the School of Medicine.
The UNM Health & Health Sciences strives for excellence across four key areas: patient care, education, research, and community engagement.  The faculty of the Department of Neurosurgery practices within the University of New Mexico Hospital system, which includes inpatient and outpatient clinics. University of New Mexico Hospital is a tertiary and quaternary referral center that also serves as the safety-net hospital for the citizens of New Mexico.  The University Of New Mexico School Of Medicine is celebrated for its innovations in medical education and has earned a reputation for prioritizing diversity in its student body and physician workforce.
The Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery will work collaboratively with the Dean of the School of Medicine and other leaders of the UNM Health and Health Sciences to create excellence in existing teaching, team-based research, and clinical programs and to position the Department for significant growth as it expands to meet the academic and clinical service demands in New Mexico.  The University of New Mexico Hospital is the primary teaching affiliate of the School of Medicine and the region’s only Level 1 trauma program serving approximately 2 million people.
The Neurosurgery Department was established in 2005 as a stand-alone department and plays a critical role in the health of the State of New Mexico, as it is the single largest neurosurgical practice in the state.  Currently there are of 9 neurosurgeons, 2 neurocritical care specialists, and a pain focused neurologist.  The faculty is supported by 21 Advanced Practice Providers (APP’s).  The faculty has expertise in all of the major subspecialty areas in Neurosurgery including Trauma, Neurovascular, Spine, Skull Base, Neuro/oncology, and Pediatric Neurosurgery and Oncology.  In many of these areas, faculty at the Health Sciences represents the only resource in the state for subspecialty-trained experts.  The department has a broad practice in multiple sites, with a research effort and a large telemedicine program.
The UNMH Clinical Neurosciences Center is the only comprehensive neurosurgery, neurology, and pain management center in the state.  This facility houses the Neurosurgery Clinic as well as the Pain Consultation and Treatment Center (Pain Center).  Both clinics are managed by UNMH, with significant direction from the department.  The Pain Center is an interdisciplinary clinic that includes faculty from Neurosurgery, Anesthesia, Psychiatry, Psychology, Family Medicine, and Neurology.  A Pain Management Fellowship is directed by the Anesthesiology Department. Both clinics combined register over 7,000 visits a year.  Faculty members also play central roles within Project ECHO, a national and international telemedicine educational program based at UNM.
The UNM Health & Health Sciences is located in the high desert community of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  It is also part of the State’s flagship institution for higher education.  Exposure to a wide variety of educational opportunities, outdoor activities, and diverse experiences makes Albuquerque a special place to call home.  Abundant recreational opportunities exist within our diverse and culturally rich city.  Albuquerque enjoys a temperate climate with 310 days of sunshine as well as four distinct seasons.

Minimum Qualifications
The Chair of Neurosurgery must hold an MD, MD-PhD, DO, or equivalent medical degree and be board-certified in Neurosurgery or a Neurosurgery subspecialty.  The candidate must have demonstrated expertise appropriate for appointment as an Associate Professor or Professor at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.  The candidate must have at least five years of administrative and leadership experience in an academic institution, be eligible for licensure in New Mexico, and be eligible to work in the United States.
Preferred Qualifications

The Chair must be a person of high integrity with a record of significant achievement in academic medicine.  Highly desirable qualifications include:

• Demonstrated excellence in clinical service and clinically respected.
• Demonstrated experience in leadership roles managing a complex clinical, research, and educational enterprise.
• A proven leader in academic medicine with a national reputation.
• A track record of involvement working with communities to increase health care access and reduce health disparities/inequities, particularly in underserved populations.
• Strong record of excellence in education, educational innovation and demonstrated outcomes with faculty development and mentoring.
• A strong record of skills in administration, finance, strategic planning, policy, and negotiation.
• Exceptional communication skills, with flexibility and a demonstrated ability to foster collaboration, teamwork, and creativity.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion of student, faculty, and staff success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities.

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Nomination Process:  nominations must be received by February 26, 2024.

To nominate an outstanding candidate, please send the name and contact information of the nominee to UNM Department Neurosurgery, c/o April Rodriguez-Esparza, [email protected] , Telephone Number: (505) 272-8268.  If self-nominating, you need only apply and not submit a self-nomination.

How to Apply: a complete application consist of (1) current curriculum vitae; (2) a comprehensive letter of interest that addresses how the candidates’ strengths and experience match the minimum and preferred qualifications for the position, and what the candidate sees as challenges and opportunities of the Chair in a local and national academic environment, and; (3) names and contact information for five references.

A leadership statement is available for candidates to review which was developed by the faculty and provides department information to assist with the application. For any questions related to this search or to obtain the leadership statement, please contact April Rodriguez-Esparza, [email protected] .

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.